Compressible electrical connector



July 28, 1970 D. DANNES 3,522,365

COMPRESSIBLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Aug. 9, 1968 ATTORNEY United States Patent U.S. Cl. 174-94 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A compression connector, for electrically and mechanically joining two or more electrical conductors, is provided with a U-shaped body in which the base portion of the U forms an integral hinge permitting the two extending leg portions to be pivoted with respect to each other. A central core positioned between the two leg portions defines two openings for receiving conductors; one opening, in the form of a trough bore, is defined by the base portion and a side of the central core; the other opening, in the form of an open-sided channel, is defined by another side of the core together with the extending ends of the leg portions. Interlocking recesses and projections on the core and on one or both of the leg portions assure that the connector parts Will all lock together when compression force is applied.

This invention relates to compressible electrical connectors such as are employed generally to form permanent electrical connections between two or more electrical co ductors. More specifically the invention relates to an improved form of such connector which can be applied transversely to the axes of two or more conductors while maintaining proper spacing and substantially surrounding each conductor with metal body structure.

Connectors of this type frequently are used to connect a run conductor to a tap conductor. In such applications, it has been common practice to provide a connector formed of a solid body of malleable metal which has a through bore, for receiving the tap conductor, and has a channel or groove open along one side to receive the run conductor.

The structure of these prior art connectors has been found to possess significant disadvantages. Among these is the fact that the run conductor generally cannot be positioned in the through bore, and therefore cannot be surrounded completely by the body structure of the connector. Another disadvantage appears in that fact that the open-sided slot commonly cannot be shaped to encircle more than 180 of a conductor prior to compression.

To avoid the problems caused by the limitations of solid, through-bores and semi-circular open-sided channels, some prior art connectors have resorted to the se of bendable tabs and similar displaceable elements to position, retain and encircle conductors prior to compression. However, it is known that these additional elements add expense, weight and bulk to the connector structure, often without providing any significant benefit to the completed connection.

Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide a compression connector, suitable for run and tap applications, in which more than 180 of each conductor is substantially encircled by connector structure prior to compression.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a compression connector, in accordance with the above object, which additionally permits lateral insertion of all conductors.

Still further objects of this invention include the provision of a compression connector, which is simple and 3,522,365 Patented July 28, 1970 inexpensive to manufacture, which is easily applied, and which includes a minimum number of parts and projections.

A feature of this invention is the use of an integrally hinged U-shaped body member together with a central divider core which includes provision for interlocking with the hinged parts.

These and other and further objects, features, and advantages of this invention are more clearly pointed out and distinctly recited in the following specification and claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation of an electrical connection formed by a connector constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-section through the connector shown in FIG. 1 taken in plane 22 of FIG. 1 showing the open position of the connector in dotted lines; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing another embodiment of this invention.

Now referring to the drawings more particularly, it may be seen that the connector of this invention comprises, generally, a substantially U-shaped body member 10 of malleable material, and a central core 12. The core and the body member are provided with cooperating shoulders 13, 15 mated to achieve interlocking between these parts of the connector.

The body member 10 includes two extending leg portions 14, 16, and a base portion 18 which forms an integral hinge coupling the two legs together. The leg portions 14, 16 terminate in inwardly curved free ends 20, 22, respectively.

Central core 12 is positioned directly between the two leg portions, and is spaced away from the base portion 18 and away from the free ends 20, 22. Curved seats 24, 26 are formed on opposite sides of the core to support conductors such as stranded cables 28, 30.

The seat 26 cooperates with curved base portion 18 to define a conductor-receiving aperture 32 which com pletely encircles conductor 30. Seat 24 cooperates similarly with free ends 20, 22 to define an open-sided channel 34 which receives conductor 28. The inwardly curved shape of free ends 20, 22 and the shape of seat 24 together define a channel which encircles substantially more than of conductor 28 when the connector is in the closed position illustrated.

Body member 10 may be formed of any suitable malleable conductive material. When central core 12 is separate from the body member as shown in FIG. 2, it may be formed preferably of a substantially harder, less malleable material. For example, the body member 10 may be formed of the material known as EC aluminum or 1100F aluminum, which has been treated by annealing to achieve desired malleability. The central core may be formed of a harder substance, such as the aluminum alloy identified as number 6063, having a representative hardness rating of T6.

Through proper choice of hardness and dimensions, the hinge formed by base portion 18 can be made movable under the normal manual force exerted by an installer. This is considered the preferable embodiment of this invention. This feature of base 18 permits leg portions 14, 16 to be pivoted apart (as shown in phantom view in FIG. 2) so that a conductor 30 may be inserted transversely into through-aperture 32. Similarly, the pivoting apart of the leg portions permits central core 12 to be positioned if necessary without interference from free ends 20, 22 and shoulders 13, 15.

In the embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIG. 3, the central core, identified generally by numeral 112, is an integral part of body member 110. The core extends from one leg portion 116 toward the opposite leg portion 114. Cooperating'interlocking shoulders in the form of projection 113 and recess 115 are formed on the leg portion 114 and core 112 respectively. The base portion 118 functions as an integral hinge in the same manner as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, to permit pivotal separation of the leg portions.

In both of the illustrated embodiments of this invention, the cooperating interlockable shoulders on the core and on the hinged leg portion serve the same basic purpose. The purpose preferably is two-fold: first, to provide alignment and preliminary fastening of the hinged leg portion to the core prior to compression of the connector; and, second, to provide positive permanent interlocking of these portions of the connector following compression. When the central core 12 is formed as a separate element as shown in FIG. 2, one set of interlocking shoulders 13, (such as the set at the left of FIG. 2), may be used in the manufacturing process to secure the core to one of the leg portions. This procedure allows the connector to be handled subsequently as a unitary assembly, free of loose pieces.

As shown in the drawings, the shoulders 13, 15 preferably may be formed as recesses having an interior portion 36 (136 in FIG. 3) which is wider than the minimum width of the recess. The shoulders 15, 115 accordingly may be formed as projections which are dimensioned to be inserted into the recesses 13, 113 past the minimum width parts. Preferably, these projections will form a friction fit within the recesses so as to provide preliminary fastening of the connector portions prior to compression.

When the assembled connector is subjected to compression forces, the malleable qualities of the material which forms body member 10 will permit projections 13, 113 to deform by expanding within the wide interior portions 36, 136 of recesses 15, 115. Deformation of the projections in this manner assures secure, permanent interlocking of the connector portions. The representative appearance of a projection which has been deformed for interlocking purposes is shown at the left side of FIG. 2 of the drawings.

The invention has thus been described but it is desired to be understood that it is not confined to the particular forms or usages shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of the invention and by means of which objects of this invention are attained and new results accomplished, as it is obvious that the particular embodiments herein shown and described are only some of the many that can be employed to obtain these objects and accomplish these results.

Iclaim:

1. An electrical connector, adapted to be compressed onto two electrical conductors to form an electrical and mechanical connection, comprising:

a body member of malleable metal and of substantially U-shaped cross-section, including a base portion forming an integral hinge and two leg portions hingedly coupled through said base portion, each leg portion having a free end remote from said base portion;

and a central core extending within the body member from one leg portion toward the other leg portion, defining a conductor-receiving aperture between one side of said core and the said base portion, and further defining a conductor-receiving channel having an opposite side of said core and the said free ends of said leg portions as the walls thereof;

wherein said central core is a separate element from said body member, including a pair of shoulder means on opposite sides thereof; and said leg portions each include cooperating shoulder means interlockable with the shoulder means on said central core element to engage and disengage when said leg portions are hingedly moved relative to each other.

2. An electrical connector in accordance with claim 1 wherein said central core element is formed of a material which is substantially harder than said body member, so as to resist deformation when said body member is compressed.

3. An electrical connector in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pair of shoulder means on said central core element comprises a pair of inwardly extending recesses and the said cooperating shoulder means on said leg portions comprise projection portions extending inwardly relative to said body member, into the said recesses in said central core element.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,134,844 5/1964 Myers 174-94 DARRELL L. CLAY, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. l747l, 287-109 

